Gems of the Night
by EternityBlackRose
Summary: One girl, one gargoyle, major trouble ahead. You can never tell with the Manhattan Clan, so you may as well just go along for the ride with this one.
1. Rescue my Angel

If I could go back in time, believe me I would. I would change everything I ever did to stop what has happened to my friends and I all those years ago. But then, I wouldn't be who I am right now. And I wouldn't be able to do what I do.

Nor what I'm about to do. 

* * *

The warehouse was quiet for the first time in a long time. The men stayed silent as their boss came up to the cage in the center of the room, eyeing the small creature that was trying to get away from him.

"Has Subject 5 been able to manifest anything with its abilities?" The man asked, pulling on a pair of gloves.

"Negative sir." A scientist beside him replied, looking over the subjects records. "Subject 5 is nowhere near the levels of ability to do so than her predecessors Subjects 2 through 4 at this age."

"I see. What about Subject 1? Any word on its location?"

"Again negative sir." he said, opening the cage door. "Subject 1 has once again eluded us with its trickery. Everytime we seem to get close, it slips away with one of its tricks."

"I see. No matter." His superior replied, grabbing Subject 5 by the arm. "She'll do quite nicely for this test." Subject 5 looked up at him bitterly with her jade colored eyes. She was twelve years old with waist length magenta hair. She was wearing a dusty pink jumpsuit with her hands and feet in shackles. Her teeth were bared, growling at him like she was a wild animal.

"Now now Subject 5, that's not going to do you any good." He said, handing her off to two guards. "It's just going to hurt more when I put this on you."

She shuddered in fear as she saw what he was holding. It was a shock collar, the same ones she had seen on the other subjects save Subject 1, who escaped so long ago that she barely remembered her.

'She said she'd be back.' She thought as he came closer with the collar. 'She promised she'd return to stop this.'

"Now hold still." He said grabbing her neck. "You're just as squirmy as the last one."

'I don't want this!' She thought as the collar came closer. 'Please someone help!'

Glass shattered from the skylight in the ceiling; the lights went out as a lone figure jumped through the broken window.

"Aw crap it's here!" One of the guards yelled as he pulled out his gun.

"Well don't just stand there!" Their superior screamed, turning away from Subject 5. "Get it! But leave it alive!"

Even with the moonlight above them, the guards were no match for this person. It seemed like whoever it was took to the shadows like a natural, attacking only when the guards got too close. Soon, all were knocked out save the two holding Subject 5. "I know you're there my dear." The man said, pulling out a stun gun. "You may as well come out."

There was no reply except the groaning of a few conscious men. He glanced around, knowing that this person would not leave without her colleague. He didn't expect the arrow that pinned him to a support beam. Nor the ones that followed.

"You little bitch!" He exclaimed, trying to break free. "Come out and fight me!"

"There's no point." A feminine voice replied. "You've already lost tonight."

The two guards watched as a seventeen year-old girl walked out of the shadows holding an arrow to her bowstring. She had pure black hair with a pink streak that was in a high ponytail, leaving the ends at the nape of her neck. Her eyes glowed orange at the top and yellow at the bottom, looking like a blazing fire. Her clothing was an orange t-shirt, a yellowish green hoodie, blue jean shorts with white tights underneath, and black combat boots.

"What're you standing there for?! Get her!"

The two looked back and forth between their boss and the girl with the arrow. Which were they more afraid of? The man who could have them fired, or the woman who could have them killed?

The answer was obvious.

They fled before they could get fired at, dropping Subject 5 as they left. She immediately got up and ran to the other girl, who enveloped her into a tight hug.

"You came back." Subject 5 said as she cried.

"Did you ever doubt me?" The other asked, wiping away stray tears. She quickly pulled her bow over her chest and turned to kneel down as if to give her companion a piggyback ride. "Come on Angel Quartz. We're getting you out of here." As Angel got on, her captor struggled to get free.

"You won't get away with this!" he yelled, trying to aim the stun gun at her. "You won't save the others!"

The girl looked at him blankly, and then smirked. "Wanna bet?"

And in a single jump, she was gone. 

* * *

The castle was just one place Brooklyn couldn't find himself to be right now. Not with so much love going on.

It started with just Xanatos and Fox since they were married. Then it escalated to Broadway and Angela-who he thought would be his. Then Lexington bonding with Alexander in a fatherly way. And of course there was Goliath and Elisa-not that they'd admit it. Sure Hudson didn't go through this, but he still had Bronx. It was him

that always ended up alone.

That's why he was out here tonight. To be alone. But then, he didn't count on seeing a human girl carrying another human on her back.

Or at least what he thought was human. He couldn't tell for sure from the distance he was at. And for some reason, he felt the need to get closer.

As he swooped in closer, the runner skid to a halt and collapsed, making the one on her back fall off. He hid on a taller building not too far away, allowing him to hear what they were saying.

"Are you okay?" The younger asked, kneeling beside her.

"Yeah." The other replied, shakily getting to her feet. "We're cutting it close."

"Maybe we should just stay put. I mean, it's not like they can find us here."

The older girl chuckled at her companion's naïve comment. "Trust me, they'd find us."

"How do you know?"

"Because they've got the Quarrymen on their side. And while those guys can't catch gargoyles, they can catch up to us."

"What's a gargoyle?"

Brooklyn couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could someone not have heard about them? There were open debates about them all the time on television. But the older girl just knelt down and started picking at the other girl's chained hands and feet.

"Gargoyles are these statues that come to life at night and turn back at dawn." The older replied, getting the younger's ankles free. "I've seen them flying around from time to time, but I've never gotten a good enough look at them to believe they're monsters."

"Is that what everyone says they are?"

"Mostly yes." She said, getting the last of the chains off. "But you and I both know there's more to someone than what meets the eye. So we have no right to judge someone by the way they look or the things people say about them right Angel?"

"Of course." Angel said, rubbing her wrists. "After all, those idiots misjudged me."

The two laughed as if they'd been holding it back for a great while, making Brooklyn realize that they had been separated for a long time. Then what happened next scared him almost as bad as it scared the black haired girl.

The younger of the two immediately began coughing and keeled over; blood dripping from her lips. The older of the two was immediately by her side, holding her hair back as vomit came out. Brooklyn found himself not able to hang back anymore; he had to go in.

The older of the two looked up in time to see a red gargoyle swoop down to them. He looked about her height with a white mane of hair behind him and a blue loincloth around his waist. His beak startled her a bit, but she wasn't afraid of him. She was more afraid of losing Angel.

"Everything all right?" He asked getting closer.

"My friend." She stated, watching as more blood and vomit came out. "She's sick. I didn't know she would be this bad when I found her."

"What do you mean when you found her?"

"I can't explain here." She said looking around. "Too many wandering eyes and ears."

"I know a place." Brooklyn said, kneeling down to them. "But how do I know you're not with the Quarrymen?"

"You don't. Just like I don't know if you're with the Gem Cutters."

Brooklyn chuckled a bit. "Point taken." He gave her a hand up. "I'm Brooklyn."

"The girl on the ground's Angel Quartz." The black haired beauty replied meeting his dark colored eyes. "And I'm Amber. Amber Child.

Okay. So I fell into the Gargoyles franchise. No biggy. Well, this is what happens sometimes. ArywnandCole, I promise to update my other story soon. I just had to get this out of my head!


	2. Brooklyn's in Trouble

Brooklyn knew he was gonna get a red card for this. Bringing humans to the castle was a big no no in Goliath's book, especially since he never met either of the girls.

But this had to be an exception. Angel looked like she hadn't eaten in days, and the vomit/blood she threw up weren't helping matters at all. Amber on the other hand just looked wiped. She looked as if she'd been running forever with Angel on her back and was on the verge of breaking down. Not to mention that some of what Angel threw up ended up on her as well.

"How much farther?" Amber asked, looking over his shoulder at Angel in his arms. "I don't think Angel can take much more."

She wasn't kidding. The pink haired girl was getting paler and paler by the minute, but there were no signs of blood loss besides what she threw up-or threw down as the case may be.

"Just a bit more." He stated, coming close to their destination.

Amber looked up to see where they were going. What she saw surprised her.

The castle on top of the Xanatos building.

'Is he crazy?' she thought, trying not to let her worry show. 'Xanatos is a billionaire. He's not gonna allow two kids and a gargoyle sanctuary, let alone a doctor that can keep his mouth shut.'

"Relax." Brooklyn told her, having felt her tense up. "No one there is going to hurt you or Angel."

"I hope you're right." She mumbled as they landed. "Because if you're not-"

She didn't finish as the moment she was on the ground, she was tackled by something tackled her from the left, immediately knocking her off her feet.

"Bronx no! Sit!" Brooklyn yelled out as the gargoyle beast began to lick the girl, causing her to laugh.

"What is this thing?" Amber asked between laughs as the blue beast licked her cheeks repeatedly, trying in vain to get to her feet.

Brooklyn leaned Angel up against a wall and pulled Bronx off. "This is Bronx, our gargoyle beast."

"Gargoyle Beast?"

"He's kinda like a dog for gargoyles. Funny thing is, he doesn't normally like humans when he first meets them."

"That'd be true lad." A voice said walking up to them.

Amber looked up immediately to see another gargoyle approaching them. He was light brown with a white beard and mane and a scar across his left eye. His body covered in what looked to be leather but she couldn't be sure. A sword hung from his belt.

"Who are the lasses ye brought home?" the old gargoyle asked, looking both at the girls and Brooklyn. "And why are you all covered in blood?"

Amber got to her feet, pulling her hood up over her face. "I'm Amber Child. The girl leaning against the wall is my friend Angel Quartz. She's sick and I don't know what's wrong. Brooklyn brought us here because he thought you could help. Or at least someone could."

"Aye that we can." He stated, picking Angel up. "I'd be called Hudson lass. Come, you'll meet the rest of our clan downstairs in the main hall."

Amber looked between him and Brooklyn. She wasn't very sure if they were safe here, but if this was where Angel could get help, she'd risk it.

"Lead the way."

* * *

Goliath wasn't very pleased when he saw two humans with his second-in-command and his teacher. But when he saw how pale the young one was, he put his anger aside for her sake. Xanatos had Owen sent for and had him check over the one called Angel while the girl Amber was taken to be cleaned up by Fox.

Brooklyn had returned a while ago from getting the blood Angel spat up off of him, but he had yet to report what happened. He hadn't even told Goliath that he'd left the castle. At this, he let some of his anger return.

He came up to Brooklyn and asked him, "Why did you leave the castle?"

"I went out on patrol." The red gargoyle said defending himself. "I didn't know I would find two girls on their own. Just like with Dave and Bobbi."

"You think they're runaways?" Angela asked, looking towards the door Angel was behind.

"No I don't think so." Brooklyn replied. "It's different with them than it was with those two."

"How so?" Broadway asked curiously.

"Angel for one thing. I mean sure Dave and Bobbi didn't eat as much when they were on the streets, but at least they were fed. When I picked up Angel, she weighed hardly anything; I could feel her ribs through that jumpsuit."

That surprised not only Goliath, but almost everyone in the room. Especially Elisa. No child deserved to be treated like that. Not being fed? Where had the child come from?

"Amber's a bit better off, but I think she's still pretty light for her age." Brooklyn continued, sitting on a couch. "And the bow and arrows strapped to her back? Pretty sure those aren't for show."

"So she knows how to use them?" Lexington asked cautiously, unsure if he trusted the girl.

"I dunno. When I found them Amber running with Angel on her back as fast as she could from the docks. But she looked like she was ready to shoot her arrows at a moment's notice."

Goliath turned towards the door. "As soon as Amber returns, I will want to speak to her. She may hold many answers on what's happened tonight."

* * *

Fox couldn't believe how thin the girl before her was. She could almost see the poor dear's ribs. This couldn't be from dieting; this had to be malnourishment. But the question was, was she doing this to herself? Or was she just not getting enough from wherever she came from?

'No wonder her jacket looked baggy.' She thought, trying to find clothes that would fit the girl. 'She looks like she hasn't eaten in days.'

Amber sat on the bed with a towel, her black hair resting just below her elbows. She'd never seen a room like this. It reminded her of a princess room in a fairytale book. But then, this was a castle wasn't it? So of course there'd be a room like this.

"Okay." Fox said, coming over with an outfit. "I think this just might fit."

She studied the clothing closely. It comprised of a knee-length no-sleeve orange and yellow dress, blue and green leggings, a white button-down shirt, and a pair of pink keds. Perfect.

"Thank you." Amber said, grabbing the towel tighter with her left hand and taking the clothes with her right. "I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you or the gargoyles for what you're doing for me and Angel."

"Well, you better sit tight." Fox said, looking for her brush. "Because we're not done. You're staying put until we get you to a proper weight and find out what you were doing out there on your own."

That shocked Amber a bit. Sure she'd met people that would at least try to help her. But the moment they found out her secret, she knew she was better off running away before they contacted the Gem Cutters. That's how she'd almost get caught in the past.

'What have I just gotten me and Angel into?'

****  
 ** _Okay, it's short. So sue me. I'm kinda busy so it's gonna be awhile for more. But you're welcome to guess on what's gonna happen next!_**


	3. The Truth about Gemstones

Owen looked at the young girl on his examination table. Though she looked healthy from the neck up, her wrists and ankles showed that she was in a bad place-wherever it was.

"How is our young guest?" Xanatos asked walking into the room.

"Her energy is greatly depleted." Owen replied, unbuttoning the bloodstained jumpsuit. "From all the blood she spat out I'd say she's completely unconscious. I was just about to see how the rest of her is faring."

"I see." The other man replied. "Our other guest Brooklyn calls Amber seems to be calming down. Fox is going to bring her in soon for questioning."

"About that sir," Owen moved away from the body. "I think you may want to ask about this."

Xanatos looked at Owen, who seemed to be in quite a shock. He made his way over to the one he heard being called Angel. What he saw, he didn't believe.

Angel's skin from the waist down had turned to pure Quartz in a light pink coloring. The tips of her fingers were starting to turn as well. And in the center of her chest, directly over her heart, was a pink Quartz stone with angel wings inside it.

"Merciful God." Xanatos exclaimed in a state of shock, backing away from the girl turning into a gem. "What have they done to this child?"

* * *

"Come on you look fine." Fox stated, pulling a half-willing Amber along. "And the gargoyles don't bite. Well, Bronx would but he seems to like you."

Amber cracked a small smile as she was dragged along to whatever part of the castle they were being taken to. The dress she'd been given was a little loose, so they'd put a belt on her to keep it from falling down completely. The leggings fit better but still sagged in some places. As for the button-down shirt, she wore it open like she did her hoodie.

Once she entered the room, all eyes landed on her. Brooklyn got up from where he was sitting and went over to her.

"You all right?" he asked looking her over. He almost didn't recognize her without the dirt on her face, but the two colored eyes were a dead giveaway.

"I'm fine." She replied as Bronx came over. She kneeled to pet him. "Still in a bit of shock, but fine."

"That's good to hear lass." Hudson said, walking over to them. "You seem quite startled when they took your friend into the other room."

"I…I just have a hard time trusting people." She stated, not meeting their eyes.

"And yet, you did not hesitate when Brooklyn came down to help you?" Goliath asked with a bit of suspicion in his voice.

"Father." Angela said, looking at him angrily. "The girl has been through enough. She doesn't need you questioning her and making her feel worse than she already does." She walked over the girl. "Please excuse Goliath, he's not very trusting with humans at first."

"It's understandable." Amber stated, getting to her feet. "I'm normally not very trusting either. But when I saw true concern in Brooklyn's eyes-a type of concern I rarely see anymore, I knew I could trust him."

"His eyes?" Angela asked curiously.

"They say that the eyes are the key to the soul, and the soul is where one's true intentions lie." She looked deeply into Angela's dark brown eyes. "Such as you wish to understand what has happened tonight." She looked around her. "You all do."

Before any of the gargoyles could reply, Xanatos slammed the door open, anger clear on his face. He made a direct beeline for Amber.

"David?" Fox asked curiously. "What's-"

Xanatos glared at the teenager. "You have answers."

Amber glared back. "You have my friend."

He rolled his eyes. "Then tell me what experiments they would do to make her turn into a gemstone!"

This made the gargoyles look in shock at the teenager they'd cornered in the doorway. They'd done what to a child?

"Lass…did you know about this?" Hudson asked her carefully, seeing the fear in her eyes.

She backed away slowly. She'd been trapped. Sure they were nice before, but now they were suspicious; save Brooklyn, who just watched her with worried eyes.

"I believe he asked you a question young one." Goliath stated, rising to his full height.

Elisa put a hand to his chest. "Goliath there's no need to-"

"It's all right Detective Maza." Amber stated, her demeanor changing. Her hands immediately went behind her back. "I can take care of myself."

Elisa gave her a curious look. "How do you know my name?"

Amber shrugged and rose her head slowly, revealing deadly yellow eyes. "I know everything."

Immediately, Xanatos found himself being pushed down by a strong gush of wind, taking the gargoyles with him. "What in the world?"

Amber took off as Brooklyn got up.

"Amber stop!" he yelled, taking off after her.

"Brooklyn no!" Lexington exclaimed, struggling to get up.

"Let him go lads." Hudson said, getting up easily.

"But that…thing she just did!"

"The lass was scared. It's natural for her kind to do that." He stated, helping Goliath up.

"You sound as if you know what she is." Xanatos stated, catching his breath.

"Aye. She ain't human." He looked towards the doorway. "That lass was a Gemmalite."

* * *

Brooklyn ran on all fours to keep up with Amber, who was surprisingly fast for a person on two legs. He didn't know why, but like on the rooftops, he couldn't stop worrying about her. It was like she was afraid of everything; of everyone. But for some reason, she wasn't afraid of him. And he wasn't about to give her a reason to be afraid.

"Amber stop!" he yelled catching up to her. "We can talk this out!"

"Oh really? You're not going to turn me in?" She asked sarcastically, turning a corner. "Yeah, I've heard that before. And frankly, I don't believe a word of it!"

"I'm serious!" he exclaimed, turning the corner roughly. "We can help you!"

Amber slowed down a bit, her pace going to that of a normal human being. He caught up with her and cut off her path.

"We're not going to betray you." He stated, getting back on his feet. "We want to help you." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "At least…I do."

"Why?" She asked, looking down at the ground. "After the way I behaved in there. Why are you still trusting me?"

"You trusted me first." He replied, putting his clawed hand on her chin, lifting her face to reveal her returning two colored eyes. "Now, who did this to you?"

She sighed, slipping down to the ground. "This…whatever's happening to me… it's been done before." Her fist banged on the floor. "They've done this to countless others. But Angel and I…we're two of their latest generation."

"Generations?" he asked, sitting beside her.

She nodded. "One thousand years ago, the true Gemmalites were all destroyed. No one knows how; no one knows why. All anyone really knows, is that they were gone. Destroyed by the Gem Cutters; the very people who are trying to bring them back into existence."

"Wait a sec, you're telling me that the very ones that wiped out your race all those years ago is trying to bring them back?" He asked confusingly. "Why?"

She brought her knees up tight to her chest. "We're nothing but sport to them." Amber stated sadly. "Once we reach a certain age, they put those collars on us; set us free in society. I don't know why they do this, but I know all those who've gone out haven't lived eighteen years after their creation.

"Why? Because of the hunt?"

"No." She crouched harder into a ball. "Unlike the true Gemmalites, we're…imperfect. She got to her feet and offered him a hand. "I'll show you with Angel."

The red gargoyle didn't hesitate; he took her hand and followed her to where Angel lay crystalized. Her body entirely a dusty pink. She looked like she was just asleep, but the major thing was she couldn't move.

Or so Brooklyn thought.

The next instant, Angel turned onto her side, facing away from them. He jumped a bit.

Amber turned away from him. "That's one of the ways we're imperfect. We can move once we crystalize-which doesn't happen until dawn normally." She sat beside Angel, stoking her head. "Angel just turned twelve; the age of the second stage."

"Second stage?" Brooklyn asked. "You mean there's more to this?"

She nodded. "The first stage is power, which happens when we're six. When we turn twelve, it's transformation-which you're witnessing right now."

"And I'm guessing the third stage is why no one's lived eighteen years right?"

Again she nodded. "It's called evolution. Supposedly, once we make it past that, we turn into full Gemmalites."

For a moment, Brooklyn thought he saw Amber's face hopeful. Like she hoped that one day she could reach that level of safety. But, in an instant it was gone. Along with most of the shine in her eyes.

"But…it's just a theory." Amber stated, shaking her head lightly. "It'll never happen."

Brooklyn grabbed a chair from the other side of the room and sat in it. "You said that they've been doing this for generations. Just how long have they been doing this exactly?"

Amber sighed. "Honestly? I don't know. Five, six hundred years? All I know for sure, no one makes it past eighteen years." She looked out the window. "Not even my mom."

This rattled Brooklyn a bit. She'd lost someone close to her, just like he had. Only he had gotten his heart broken a multitude of times.

"She died when I was eight; I don't remember her much. I remember my brother and sisters better."

"Whoa, wait a minute." He stopped her. "You had siblings?"

She nodded. "A long time ago yes. But…they didn't make it. I'm the only one of our family that's still alive." Amber put a hand on Angel's forehead. "Ange here has an older brother."

Brooklyn looked at her funny.

"Don't looked so surprised. Just because mine didn't make it, doesn't mean hers wouldn't or vice versa."

"What happened to him?"

"Dunno." She shrugged. "With the Gem Cutters always hunting me…I was lucky to get a moments peace, let alone keep track of the others."

"Wait. Others? As in there's more of you?"

"Five of us to be exact." She stated going over to the window; the sun just starting to come up. "I'm the first; Angel's the last. All I gotta do now is hunt down the others, get their collars off, and hide 'em where no Gem Cutter can find them."

"And then what? You all die out slowly?" Brooklyn asked sarcastically. "Sounds like a waste to me."

"Then what do you suggest? Cause I'm open for-"

She stopped talking; stopped breathing. Her body was on full shut down the moment the sun hit her back. Brooklyn could only watch as he turned to stone.

The last thing he saw, was Amber's crystalized orange form.

* * *

 ** _Jeez. It's been awhile since I've done this. But, I'm back! And hopefully, I won't be gone long. Well, onto another chapter! Later!_**


	4. A Backstory of the Past

The sun set over the Manhattan skyline, casting a warm glow across the city. From the room a stoned Brooklyn and a crystalized Angel and Amber, it seemed to be casting a fiery glow.

As it hit Amber, her body began to shake and the crystal began to crack. Her hands began to twitch, and somewhere inside her, a heart fought to start beating again.

The moment the sun went down, Brooklyn broke free of his stone prison. He immediately looked down to see Amber struggling to get free of her orange crystal. He looked over his shoulder to see Angel's was sliding right off and she was breathing fine. So why wasn't Amber?

"Amber come on." The red gargoyle said worriedly, kneeling down to help her sit up. "Amber you need to breathe."

The door opened, revealing the clan and Fox, who looked worriedly at the teenager as she held her son.

"What's happened?" Goliath asked, looking between the girl and the amber colored shards coming off of her.

"I'll explain later!" Brooklyn exclaimed, lifting Amber off the ground. "Right now she isn't breathing!"

Fox handed Alex off to Lexington. "Let's see her."

Brooklyn was weary, but he handed Amber over to the red-headed woman. Fox immediately set off to work by laying Amber in the other bed. She brushed the crystal away from her chest to find an oval shaped gem with a harp incased inside just above her heart. She pressed down on it a few times before Amber suddenly gasped and sat up, coughing as she tried to regain her breathing.

The gargoyles sighed in relief as Fox tried to calm the girl down before they approached her again.

"You all right Amber?" Brooklyn asked, moving some hair from her eyes.

"Yes." She said calmly, her hand over her gem. "I forgot to tell you that happens to me."

"And may I inquire what happened to you?"

All looked towards the door to see Xanatos and Owen at the door. Xanatos was looking at the girl suspiciously. Brooklyn glared at him, putting himself between the human and the girl. He growled immediately.

Amber put a hand on Brooklyn's shoulder. "It's okay." She got down off the bed and met Xanatos eyes. "And you…"she clenched her fists. "Don't assume that Angel is the only one who's suffered at the Gem Cutter's hand!"

As Amber tossed of the long sleeved shirt off, all looked to see the multiple scars and stitches covering her arms. She reached down and pulled the leggings off as well, leaving her only in the dress and revealing even more scars.

Fox looked in shock. "But…I didn't…"

Amber didn't meet her eyes. "I used a concealment on myself to hide these." She sat on the edge of the bed. "I didn't need you all asking questions. But now I've dragged you all into this."

"Explain then lass." Hudson said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Amber sighed. She had no choice. "As I told Brooklyn last night, one thousand years ago, the Gem Cutters destroyed the last Gemmalites in the world. But it wasn't until about five hundred years ago that one linage of the cutters thought it'd be a good idea to recreate their prey."

"Their prey?" Goliath asked.

"Us." Amber replied, tracing over her gem. "They perfected the means to do so three hundred years ago."

"How do they do it?" Fox asked curiously.

"At first, they just thrust the gem into runaway kids they'd taken off the street. Hoping they'd take to the gem and they'd get a hunt. But it was rare and in between that it'd happen. So prey was limited. But the lives they took…the people they killed…"

She paused before she was calm again. "Before the generation me and Angel were in, they'd found a way to change the gem's genetic structure so even more people would take it. That's what they did to our parents."

"Your parents?" Xanatos asked.

Amber nodded. "My mother and the other's fathers were the last ones to get that done to them when they were ten. Six years after that they escaped the hunt and settled down somewhere. After that they'd gotten twelve years of life. Though…" she looked over at Angel. "I'm not sure the others made it out that night."

"What do you mean lass?" Hudson asked.

"I'll get to that in a bit." Amber said nonchalantly. "Anyway the reason we're different is because we're the first natural born in over a thousand years. And that made us really rare. Like 'if you get them then you can really call yourself a Gem Cutter' rare." She started tearing up. "They already got my brothers and sisters."

They all glanced at each other. Then back at the girl, who'd began to shake again.

"I don't remember much…but it was the night Angel was born. I'd just turned six the day before with my siblings since we were sextuplets. It started off quietly. But…not long after the announcement of the birth…someone struck down one of my brothers." She was shaking harder. "They just kept coming. One by one people fell. But Sun…Char…Tope…Jasp…and Sapph..."

She couldn't talk anymore. She'd just broke down. Angela pushed her way through the crowd to hug the poor girl close. The males in the room looked at each other in shock. She'd gone through so much pain. But it didn't explain everything.

Amber calmed down again she continued. "After that it's pretty much a blur until I woke up in one of their facilities. They were men of science now, so they wanted to understand how we worked. All I wanted to do was escape. But…" she looked over at Angel again. "Angel needed me. I was the only one she'd respond to besides her brother. And besides, they had my mom under lock and key. So I stayed." She looked towards the window. "It was her death that motivated me to escape when I was eight." She smirked. "The Gem Cutters may be good hunters, but they're not so good at hand to hand combat."

"So you've been on your own for almost ten years?" Angela asked.

Amber nodded. "It was hard at first. But I got stronger with every fight I got in." she fingered her gem again.

"What does the harp mean?" Broadway asked curiously. Brooklyn elbowed him. "Ow! What?!"

"It's okay." Amber said with a small smile. "The harp means 'life'. At least it did to the Gemmalites. Basically, it means I breathe new life with my powers. And as an amber, it also means I can absorb others powers and abilities."

"I see." Xanatos said. "And Angel's angel wings?"

"She's a flyer. And the angel quartz in her chest means she has a lot of spiritual energy."

"Last night you said there were more of you." Brooklyn said, making their eyes meet. "Do you remember them?"

"Yes." She replied. "In age order, their gems are a sugilite, an onyx, and a ruby. We are the last five of our kind." She made a fist. "And I intend to keep it that way."


	5. A Night Never To Forget

"So how long does the second stage last on average?" Lexington asked, looking over at a comatose Angel.

"Hard to say." Amber replied from behind the curtain where Fox was looking over some of her wounds. "When I went under, I was out for a week. But from what I've found, some Gemmalite's can go under from days to months at a time. OW!" She pulls her arm back. "Stop it!"

"Do you want this to become infected?" Fox asked seriously.

The teen looked away from her.

"I thought not." She pulled the disinfectant out again. "Now relax, I'm almost done."

"Lass," Hudson began. "Ye said Angel was born when you turned six. Don't that mean ye should be-"

"Eighteen? Yeah, I should be. But one of those stupid scientists thought it'd be 'interesting' to see if they could keep me alive by keeping me is stasis for a year. OW!" the disinfectant was on a cut near the base of her neck.

What is…'stasis'?" Goliath asked.

"A means to keep the body alive while the conscious sleeps. The body doesn't age at all during that time." Xanatos explained, standing near the curtain. "If they did that to a child, I'd hate to see what they'd do to an infant."

"Blood samples, testing of heart rate, if the gemstone is rare or not, see if they can take hits like their older generations…need I continue?"

"They did all those things?" Elisa asked, taking notes so she could tell Matt later.

"Not just to Angel." Amber replied, letting Fox wrap the last of her wounds. "There were thousands of kids that they stole, and every year a handful more go in. There's a list in my quiver on the chair of who they want this year."

Broadway was the one closest to the arrows and bow, so grabbed the papers inside.

There were hundreds of kids listed throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. But only a few were highlighted.

"Why are some of them highlighted?"

"Those are the kids they want. Everyone else is just what they thought they wanted, but their D.N.A. wasn't compatible with any of the Heartstones-the gems in our chests." Amber replied as Fox finished wrapping gauze around some of her scars. "And a Gemmalite is nothing without its Heartstone." She fingers her own gem as she says this. "It's where we get our energy; our power. It's who we are and so much more."

"So you're saying the gemstone in your chest is a part of you?" Angela asks, handing the girl a new set of clothes.

"It's everything that I am and everything I will ever be." Was the reply given as Amber pulled on the clothes. This time she wore a flame themed t-shirt, a pair of black jeans, a black hoodie jacket, black fingerless gloves, and black sneakers. "That's what my mother used to say."

"What gem did she have?" Fox asked, pulling the curtain back as the girl finished dressing.

"A magenta garnet." She stated, feeling the streak in her hair as she tied it back. "This is the only way I remember her since I couldn't grab her gem before I escaped."

"Your mother sounds like she was a good woman."

That caused the girl to smile a bit. "She was the best." She stuffed her hands in the jean pockets. "So what now? You going to turn me in to the Gem Cutters?"

Goliath got up from his seat and stood in front of her for a bit, then put a hand on her shoulder.

"If we did that, we would be no better than those who'd done you wrong all those years ago." He tilted her head up to meet his eyes. "We will help you find the remaining members of your clan. After that, you may decide what happens to you and them."

She looked at him in shock. "You mean it?" she looked at all of them. "You're not going to turn me or Angel over to them?"

"What Goliath says is practically law lass." Hudson replied, petting Bronx. "If he says we help find your clan, we help find your clan."

"I'll call Matt down at the station." Elisa said, closing her notebook and leaving the room. "See if he's heard anything about super-powered kids."

This was too much to digest. No one was this kind; this honest with her. Not since her mother died.

"I…" She backed away from them. "I need to think about it."

She ran out the door, grabbing her quiver and bow as she did.

"Why'd she do that?" Lexington wondered aloud.

"Amber doesn't want to get her hopes up." Fox said as she took Alexander into her arms. "She's probably asked for help plenty of times only to almost get caught because of human greed."

"But gargoyles aren't like that." Angela stated, crossing her arms.

"I know that and you know that." The red head stated, looking at the doors. "But Amber doesn't. She only knows what she's been living by in the last years of her life; that by this time next year she won't be here." She looks over at the comatose girl. "She won't get to see Angel grow up."

* * *

Brooklyn didn't feel like sticking around after Fox started to fix Amber up a bit. He still needed to process the fact that Amber wasn't human. She was something else; a Gemmalite.

He'd heard stories about them when he was a hatchling. How they had powers over the elements and were masters at whatever weapon was put in their hands. Also that they were guardians of their own variety. But they protected their young more than their home. The only thing more valuable to them than life was their queen.

Gemmalites thrived on the word of their queen, as she could tell who could be trusted or not. But only the Gemmalites themselves knew what kind of gemstone she was. It was their best kept secret.

To have them die out, it seemed like an impossibility.

"What's impossible may or may not be improbable." A voice said behind him with a sort of laugh to it. "But then, you should know all about that eh gargoyle?"

Brooklyn groaned. "I'm not in the mood Puck."

Said child of Oberon floated in front of him upside-down. "Not in the mood? That's rubbish. Everyone's in the mood for mischief."

"How can you be so cheerful?" The gargoyle asked as the mischief-maker floated around him. "Don't you know what those people did to kids?"

"Oh I know believe me." Puck replied, picking at his nails. "What they've done to kids is downright wrong. But this generation…" He started laughing. "This generation is so full of mischief-makers. The sugilite has mechanical genius to make pretty good traps. The onyx's a great teaser, but the ruby doesn't really get them. Though she is a bit of a tease herself. And of course," he tilts the gargoyles head down to the courtyard. "There's that one."

He looked down to see a girl with long black hair in a mostly black outfit, a quiver, and a bow.

"Amber." Brooklyn said, watching the girl glance about.

"Ah yes." Puck said with a love-struck sigh. "The queen of mischief herself. Now that girl is a girl after my own heart. Her tricks have gotten her out of many a jam. Not to mention other kids that almost got snatched by the Gem Cutters. She's a tactician in her own right. Probably matches your way of thinking."

He pushed the trickster away from him. "What are you getting at Puck?"

"What I'm 'getting at', is that there may be more similarities between you two than differences." The trickster said with a serious face. "Talk to her. She needs a confidant now that Goliath has said you'd all help her find the others."

With that, he disappeared.

This surprised the second-in-command, as it seemed that his leader hadn't trusted the girl at first. But then, he'd acted the same with Elisa.

He looked down again. 'She needs someone to talk to huh?' He thought with a smile.

* * *

Amber couldn't find a way out of this place. It was way too high to jump and she had no idea what security was like.

'Why did I agree to come here?' she thought to herself, sitting on a bench nearby. 'I could've found Angel a safe place to be until she woke up if I tried. So why did I agree?'

"You okay?"

She looked up and was reminded why.

Brooklyn's dark onyx eyes met her unnaturally two colored eyes. The true worry she'd seen the night before was back again. But it was also laced with concern.

"Been better." She replied, moving over on the bench so he could sit beside her. They didn't talk for a bit. "Goliath says you're all going to help me find the others."

"Isn't that a good thing?" He asked her, watching her face for any change in demeanor.

"But I don't understand." Amber stated, messing with her bow a bit. "Every person I've ever met, the moment they find out what I am try to shatter me or turn me in to the Gem Cutters." She met his eyes. "So why haven't all of you?"

"Amber, gargoyles protect. We don't feel what humans feel about money or power." Brooklyn told her. "We're like the police. You do know what police are right?"

She gave him a queer look.

"Right. Stupid question." He said, facing away from her.

"…Elisa is a detective right?"

He looked at her, seeing that her eyes had changed color again. But they weren't the yellow that he'd seen the other night.

This time they were a cross between deep blue and a bright purple. Her stance showed that she was scared; her knees were close to her face, her hands were shaking.

"Amber-"

"Just answer the question." Her hands clenched harder.

"Why should it matter?"

Amber shot up. "Because most detectives I've met are the reason I almost get caught." Her eyes were a blazing red now. "All those people who ever found me eventually tried to turn me over! Some even tried to-"

He turned her around and met her eyes. "We aren't like that. None of us are. Yes there are bad people in the world, but everyone here cares about this; cares about you."

Her eyes widened, turning back to her natural colors.

"But you seem to think we don't." He said sadly, turning away from her.

As he was about to walk away, he felt two hands grab his arm. Then a head pressed into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She rasped. Her body shaking. "I don't mean to do what I do or say what I say sometimes. But I…I can't control them."

He was silent for a moment, then he turned to face her.

"Who can't you control?"

She picked up her quiver, unzipping a hidden pocket on the side. "When a Gemmalite dies, the Heartstone falls out of the place it was on the body." She pulls out a red sunstone, a purple charoite, a yellow topaz, and a blue sapphire. "Just before it does, it absorbs the personality of its bearer and a piece of their soul." She placed them in his hand. "Take a look."

He looked down and wasn't sure what he was seeing.

Inside each one was a person's image showing a certain emotion. The sunstone contained a boy filled with rage, the charoite had a girl filled with fear, the topaz another girl filled with disgust and anger, and the sapphire was another girl filled with sadness. They all shared some similarities, like the shape of their eyes and the looks they seemed to be giving him when they noticed him. Confusion.

The same confused look he'd seen on Amber.

"These are my sisters Charlotte, Topaza, Saphira, and my brother Sumner." Amber stated, taking them back one by one. "I haven't found my mom's or Jasper's yet. But the moment I touch a gem that belonged to a fellow Gemmalite, I take on their memories; their personalities." She shakes her head lightly with a small smile. "I haven't been just 'Amber' since I took back my brother's stone almost eight years ago."

"So…it's like you have multiple personalities?"

"That's the best way to put it I guess." She said, putting the gems back. "My family's all I had on the streets. So whenever I got in a jam, they were the ones who pulled me out. They'd take over and I'd wake up fine with no memory of what happened. So…I'm trying to cut myself off from them, but I can't abandon them. They're my siblings; they died so that I and the others could live."

"Too bad it ain't gonna be that long."

Both Gemmalite and Gargoyle turned towards the voice.

It was a young man with unruly silver hair and pure green eyes. He wore a black combat suit, black combat boots, and had a spear tied to his back.

"Friend of yours?" Brooklyn asked, backing away from the man.

"Hardly." Amber replied, backing away with him. "He calls himself the Nightwatcher-an assassin that'll kill anyone for the right price. He's tried to kill me a number of times. As for what or who hired him, I've got no clue."

"Aw, come on princess." The guy said, moving forward. "I just wanna do my job."

"If you're trying to bring her in for a reward, forget it." Brooklyn said with a growl. "She stays here."

"Well you're no fun." He drew his spear. "Guess I gotta kill ya."

Amber's eyes widened. "No…"

"Say 'bye-bye' ya freak!"

The spear flew directly at him. But before it could hit its target, a large gust of wind blew it away.

The Nightwatcher looked confused. "What the-"

"You aren't killing anyone tonight." A young voice said from one of the towers.

All three looked up to see a twelve year-old with long magenta hair and jade eyes in a thin white nightgown that reached her knees.

Amber smiled. "Angel, you're awake!"

The girl smiled and gave a link. "Oh I'm awake all right." A small tornado started in her hand. "Awake and mad."


	6. What an Amber is

_**A/N: Hi everyone! I said I would update when I could and I am! Also, there is something I would like to point out.**_

 _ **I've noticed that a lot of people have been saying that this is a mature version of Steven Universe. Well I'm sorry to say that this is not it. In fact, all this stuff is from an idea I had when I was seven years old.**_

 _ **I used to think that every gemstone had a life and personality all its own depending on their color. That was how the idea of Amber, Angel, and the other Gemmalites came to be.**_

 __ ** _Back then, life was kinda hard on me and my family. When I was three years old, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. I couldn't understand much of what happened, but I knew something was wrong. We spent a lot of time on the road, in hotel rooms, and apartment buildings after that. I didn't have much of a childhood from that time until I was five years old. She's in remission now and I grew up the rest of my life with a social life, but you can imagine wanting a hero to take away all of your family's pain and unhappiness._**

 _ **So when I felt upset or just wanted someone to take away what'd hurt my mom, I'd draw them; the Gemmalites. With them, I didn't feel afraid. I felt that they could do anything, even bring back the dead.**_

 _ **But of course, reality set itself in and I forgot all about them. It wasn't until my Freshman year of high school I rediscovered my old drawings and remembered what I'd created. I thought back on how life had changed for me, how it'd become a rollercoaster of ups and downs. But I still loved it, almost as much as my childish fantasies. So I thought, why not revamp my old drawings and create a story. And the beings that came with them into the story were the Gargoyles.**_

 _ **So, yeah. I just wanted to set the record straight. Enjoy the chapter.**_

 _ **The Gargoyles don't belong to me, But Amber, Angel, and the Nightwatcher do.**_

* * *

Brooklyn could only watch as Angel jumped from one of the upper levels of the courtyard down to land on the Nightwatcher. It was a little rickety, but she landed all right.

"If you think you can harm my leader," the pink haired girl said, leaning down so that they were eye to eye. "You've got another thing coming."

"In all honesty," Nightwatcher began, "I just need one of you for bait to lure out the others."

" The others?" Angel said wordlessly, and then looked at Amber. "Does that mean-?"

Amber nodded. "And I don't intend for them or any of us to be caught again." She drew an arrow from her quiver and straightened her bow. "I'd rather crack my gem before I let anyone harm them again."

Nightwatcher laughed openly at her statement, angering the gargoyle that was being ignored at the moment. "You're so cute when you claim to care about the others. But if you really did, you would've taken them with you when you escaped nine years ago."

"Shut up!" Amber said, her bow quivering. "I tried to have them come with me, but it wouldn't have worked. We'd 've all been caught."

"So did you really try, or did you really abandon them? Because you can't do both."

The shaking got harder.

"The way I see it, you were looking out for number one. You probably didn't even consider coming back for them, but you did because you felt guilty. Just like it was with your brothers and-"

Brooklyn took a swing at the boy, who barely dodged his own spear. "Don't you say that about her!"

The other male landed in a crouch. "Touchy touchy. And all I said was the truth."

"None of that is true." Brooklyn said as Amber lowered her weapon. "Yes she left them there. Yes she escaped. But she tried to have them come with her."

"You don't even know anything about her." Night watcher said, not noticing the twelve year-old pinkette sneaking inside the castle for reinforcements. "For all you know she could work for the Quarrymen."

"Which is who most likely hired you since you don't seem that spooked by me." Brooklyn retorted, glancing around for any other surprises. Then he noticed the sniper's from the helicopters circling the castle.

"Look, I'm only following orders." Nightwatcher picked up his spear. "I either bring them all five gems for whatever experiments they want, or I bring them you and your freakish friends and they make you like them." He pointed it at Amber. "Constantly hunted, forever in fear of humans and their own abilities."

"That won't be necessary." A voice said from behind the male.

The blonde turned to see Goliath and Xanatos standing in the doorway with Angel between them.

"These children are under my protection." Xanatos stated, putting an arm around Angel. "And when we find the others, they will be as well. None of them are going back to that life. And as for the gargoyles, they will never become an experiment. I won't allow it."

"And you know I won't." Elisa stated coming from behind Goliath. "I don't know who you work for, but they're kidnapping and killing minors and even releasing them out on the streets to fend for themselves."

"SHE escaped." Nightwatcher said, pointing at Amber again. "It was her own fault she was on the streets."

"And she wouldn't be there if your superiors hadn't taken her from her home!" Goliath exclaimed, picking Angel up to sit on one of his shoulders. "Amber and the others are not targets, they're living beings!"

"There's no point in reasoning with him." Amber said, her down to the floor again. "He's just a guy whose love for money exceeds his humanity." Her gem glowed beneath her shirt. "In fact he most likely has no humanity."

"Aw, now that hurts princess." Night watcher said teasingly. "I have some humanity."

"If you did you would've left us alone." The glow got stronger. "You would've just walked away while you had the chance." She looked up, revealing a pair of angry red eyes. "And now you're gonna pay."

Amber's bow transformed into a pair of sais, her jacket turned a blood red, along with the streak in her hair.

"What the-?" Elisa looked on in shock.

"Angel, what's happening?" Xanatos asked, looking at the teenager a little fearfully.

"Amber's using her powers." Angel said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "An amber can absorb any other gems battle abilities, and that includes their skills with a weapon."

"And the bow changing?" Brooklyn asked, backing towards the rest.

"The bow was actually Topaza's weapon. And a weapon is an extension of a gem's true self."

"Uh, for those of us who don't understand?" Elisa asked backing behind Goliath.

Angel rolled her eyes. "The weapon's apart of her. In fact, it is her. Or a reflection of herself." She looked over at Brooklyn. "What she said about her siblings personalities being inside her, that part is true. But this is her own emotion; her own anger. Humans have shown us nothing but the worse." Her eyes turned a pastel pink for a moment. "And she intends to show them what they've earned."

They looked in confusion for a bit, and then turned to Amber and the Nightwatcher, who didn't seem fazed by the girl's transformation.

"Seriously? You're gonna go red?" He asked disappointedly. "I was kinda hopin' purple was gonna make a show. Or heck, maybe you would show-"

One of the sais shot towards him, landing on a castle wall and pinning his hand. He tried in vain to pull it off as Amber approached him, but it helped him to no end. She grabbed his free hand and twisted it, making him drop the spear.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." She warned, twisting the arm harder. "You know why I never use that form. It's because of you I never even attempted to use it after last time." She turned and faced the crowd. "Angel, come here."

The younger girl didn't hesitate to follow the order. She stood a bit behind the older girl and held her hand out to her. Amber pulled a glove off her hand and reached back, grasping the younger girl's fingers.

The wind picked up around them, changing Amber once more. Her hair had multiple dusty pink streaks in it, her outfit had changed to a baby pink t-shirt and a pair of ratted blue jean shorts. Her bandages were shown to be a bit more ragged, but they were holding.

"Pay attention Angel." Amber said, letting Nightwatcher go. "This is only a taste of your powers."

Amber's attention returned to the helicopters surrounding the building. Pointing her left hand at one of them, she made a whirlwind gesture at it while muttering under her breath.

The wind howled and roared, blowing harder than it had at this altitude. Xanatos watched as she did this with so little effort. It wasn't exactly Oberon level magic, but it was up there.

"Incredible." Elisa said, watching the Quarrymen try to regain control of their helicopters. "If this is a taste, what else could these kids do?"

"Let us hope we never find out." Goliath states, watching the helicopters flee.

"Well one thing's for sure," Xanatos said, looking over at Amber as she transformed back. "I misjudged that girl."

The two girls stood and talked for a moment before returning to the group. Angel nudged Amber forward, almost bumping her into Brooklyn. Her cheeks turned pink as her eyes returned to their natural color.

"I would…like to apologize for the way I behaved before." She said, rubbing her neck lightly. "I should have known you all weren't anything like what I was used to. But…well…"

Hudson came out from the doorway and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right lass. You don't need to explain yourself. We've had our fair share of bad people we've met. But more than a few have turned out allies."

"And we would be honored if you and your kind would be one of them." Goliath said, coming beside his teacher. "We still wish to help you find your own. Only if you allow us."

Amber smiled and looked at Angel, who nodded ecstatically. "Angel and I would be honored."

"This is gonna be so cool!" Angel said, hoping up and down.

"What're we gonna do about him?" Brooklyn asked, pointing over his shoulder at Nightwatcher.

Elisa pulled a pair of cuffs from her back pocket. "Leave that to me."


End file.
